Judges 8:30
Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Judges 8:30
Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
While Gideon refused to be king, this verse highlights that he lived like one, accumulating seventy sons through many wives. This practice, though common for rulers in that era, was a departure from the ideal, foreshadowing the future rise of his illegitimate son Abimelech and the ensuing chaos.
After Gideon’s death, the people immediately turned away from worshipping God and engaging in idolatry. Gideon’s large family, numbering seventy sons, is mentioned here to highlight his prominent status, which ironically set the stage for the turmoil that followed his passing. This verse sets up the tragic events where Gideon's own son, Abimelech, would later try to seize power by ruthlessly killing most of his brothers.
Gideon fathered seventy sons, a startling number that speaks volumes about his status and the cultural norms of his time.
A King in All But Name
The verse highlights Gideon's immense household, noting he had seventy sons because he had "many wives." This wasn't just about having a large family; it was a display of power and status. In ancient Israel, a large number of sons and wives was often associated with kingship.
Gideon's large family wasn't just a personal matter; it was a reflection of his elevated position in Israel, blurring the lines between judge and monarch.
Gideon's large family and princely lifestyle, while seemingly a sign of success, inadvertently sowed the seeds for immense future tragedy.
Prosperity's Perilous Shadow
Gideon's forty years of leadership brought peace and stability to Israel. He suppressed Baal worship and ruled with authority. However, his personal life, particularly his polygamy and the resulting large number of sons, created a volatile situation after his death.
Gideon's large family, mentioned here, is not just a detail but a key factor leading to the subsequent turmoil in Israel, as his son Abimelech brutally murdered his seventy brothers to claim power.
c. 1170 BC— this verse
Gideon's Victory over Midian
Gideon defeats the Midianites, bringing a period of peace and prosperity to Israel after years of oppression. This victory elevates his status significantly.
c. 1170 BC - 1130 BC
Gideon's Judgeship and Polygamy
Following his victory, Gideon serves as judge for 40 years. During this time, he takes many wives, fathering seventy sons, demonstrating a king-like status and wealth in his hometown of Ophrah.
c. 1130 BC
Death of Gideon
Gideon dies after a long and successful judgeship, leaving a significant legacy but also a complex political situation with his numerous sons.
c. 1130 BC
Abimelech's Usurpation
Gideon's son, Abimelech, by a concubine, conspires with the men of Shechem to kill his seventy half-brothers and seize power, becoming the first attempt at monarchy in Israel.
This verse describes God promising Abraham numerous descendants, highlighting the significance of offspring as a sign of God's blessing and favor, much like Gideon's many sons were a sign of his status.
Deuteronomy 17:17This passage sets a guideline for Israelite kings, cautioning against multiplying wives and wealth, which Gideon's polygamy and princely lifestyle in Judges 8:30 indirectly touches upon as a departure from ideal leadership.
Judges 9:1-6This passage immediately follows, showing the tragic consequence of Gideon's many sons and his relationship with the people of Shechem, as his son Abimelech ruthlessly seeks power by killing most of his brothers.
1 Samuel 8:5The people's desire for a king, as expressed here, mirrors the underlying trend that contributed to leaders like Gideon adopting kingly customs, such as polygamy, and ultimately led to the establishment of the monarchy.
gillJudges 8:30: "And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives."
And Gideon had seventy sons of his body begotten,.... Not after his victories, for it is plain he had children before; mention is made of Jether, his firstborn, as a youth able to draw a sword, and slay with it, Judges 8:20 but this was the number of all his sons, both before and after, and a large number it was; and the phrase "of his body begotten", or "that went out of his thigh" is used to sho…
ellicottJudges 8:30: "And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives."
(30) Threescore and ten sons. —According to Oriental fashion, no account is taken of his daughters. He had many wives.—It is clear that Gideon was a king in all but name. This is the most magnificent, but the least honourable, period of his career. In Deuteronomy 17:17 it had been said of the future king, “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself. . . . neither shall he greatly multiply to himse…
While Gideon refused to be king, this verse highlights that he lived like one, accumulating seventy sons through many wives. This practice, though common for rulers in that era, was a departure from the ideal, foreshadowing the future rise of his illegitimate son Abimelech and the ensuing chaos.
After Gideon’s death, the people immediately turned away from worshipping God and engaging in idolatry. Gideon’s large family, numbering seventy sons, is mentioned here to highlight his prominent status, which ironically set the stage for the turmoil that followed his passing. This verse sets up the tragic events where Gideon's own son, Abimelech, would later try to seize power by ruthlessly killing most of his brothers.
After Gideon’s death, the people immediately turned away from worshipping God and engaging in idolatry. Gideon’s large family, numbering seventy sons, is mentioned here to highlight his prominent status, which ironically set the stage for the turmoil that followed his passing. This verse sets up the tragic events where Gideon's own son, Abimelech, would later try to seize power by ruthlessly killing most of his brothers.
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Gideon's success was immense, but his personal choices, influenced by the surrounding culture, ultimately contributed to the tragic unraveling of his family and the nation's subsequent turmoil.
c. 1127 BC
Abimelech's Reign and Downfall
Abimelech rules tyrannically for three years, leading to conflict with Shechem. He is eventually killed by a woman during the siege of Thebez, fulfilling a prophecy.
c. 1127 BC - 1087 BC
Period of Unrest and Other Judges
Following Abimelech's disastrous reign, Israel experiences a period of instability, with other judges like Tola and Jair rising to prominence, though the people continue to struggle with idolatry.
"Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives." — While Gideon refused to be king, this verse highlights that he lived like one, accumulating seventy sons through many wives. This practice, though common for rulers in that era, was a departure from…